Susan McLeish (StoneCircle)

Welcome to my hubs!

I write about my love of cooking and trying out new recipes that come to me via family or an old cookbook. There is nothing like taking a few ingredients and making a masterpiece for the taste buds. Some people do yoga, tai chi or meditate but I cook to relax.

Over the years, I have collected many vintage kitchen and cooking tools. They are as useful as the day they were made, some up to 75 years ago. I have been able to use the produce, fruit and eggs we have on our small farm to bring many vintage recipes to life while serving them on dishes from the 1930’s through 1960’s.

Canning has become a way of life now along with freezing what veggies we can. It not only saves on the grocery bill, the food tastes considerably better. In my hubs, you will find a mixture of different topics that involve many of my interests. Please have a look around and enjoy yourself.

You will also see some hubs that I have written on my love of nature. It has brought me years of joy by simply getting my hands down into the soil or capturing a moment with my camera. I have stopped dead in my tracks to see some phenomenal sunrises, have the wind blow through me while the sweat pours down and seen some amazing critters that live amongst us but go unnoticed most days.

In the Spotlight

Vintage 1950s Maraschino Cherry Cake Recipe

This vintage recipe for maraschino cherry cake and frosting holds up well!

In the Spotlight

Vintage Maple Molasses Cake

If you like gingerbread, but do not always want the ginger taste, try this Molasses Maple Cake. It has a texture like ginger bread but the taste of a mild, sweet cake lightly spiced with cinnamon nutmeg and cloves.

In the Spotlight

Apple Breakfast Pie

Apple breakfast pie is a quick and easy recipe using apples, frozen pie crust and a pizza pan. It can be served any time of day, but makes a great addition to breakfast or brunch. If you do any baking, you have most of the ingredients already on hand. Just mix, serve and do not expect any leftovers!

In the Spotlight

Grandma's Halloween Popcorn Ball Recipe

My grandma was famous in our neighborhood for her Halloween popcorn balls. Here is her recipe with step-by-step photos.

In the Spotlight

1940s Classic Molasses Maple Bars

These classic molasses maple bars have been decked out by adding nut meats and chocolate toffee bits. The recipe comes from housewives needing to make a nutritious dessert with little to no sugar due to war time rations. To spice up these bars, raisins, dates, or figs were chopped up to make a hermit like bar.

In the Spotlight

Blondies With Fresh Cherry Pieces and Chocolate Chips

A simple, delicious brownie treat that uses fresh summer fruit and takes little time to make. This recipe can be adapted to fit your taste buds and will always be a hit with everyone.

• 
  1
  delishably.com

  Blondies With Fresh Cherry Pieces and Chocolate Chips

  22 months ago

  A simple, delicious brownie treat that uses fresh summer fruit and takes little time to make. This recipe can be adapted to fit your taste buds and will always be a hit with everyone.

• 
  7
  dengarden.com

  How to Repair and Restore a Bamboo Rocking Chair

  16 months ago

  Bamboo furniture is a great addition to a home. If weather damage begins to show, follow these easy steps to bring your bamboo chair (or another piece) back to life.

• 
  3
  Home Furnishings

  Rejuvinating Classic Webbed Lawn Chairs

  9 years ago

  Finding a treasured vintage webbed lawn chair can be easily restored to make it useful once again. Just follow these simple steps and you will be relaxing in stlye!

• 
  22
  delishably.com

  How to Make an Edible Hard Candy Tray as a Gift

  22 months ago

  Instead of buying a tin or seasonal patterned tray, try this simple edible candy tray for your home-baked goodies. This is a great and imaginative base for all the baked goodies you will be giving out this holiday season.

• 
  18
  delishably.com

  Blushing Snowball Apples: 1950s Retro Dessert

  23 months ago

  The blushing snowball was described by many 1950s cookbooks as “getting the most value for your food while providing a nutritious dessert.”

• 
  11
  delishably.com

  Vintage 1950s Maraschino Cherry Cake Recipe

  23 months ago

  This vintage recipe for maraschino cherry cake and frosting holds up well!

• 
  5
  Dog Food

  How I Created Tessa's Liver Shunt Diet Part 2

  6 years ago

  Here is a follow up hub on how I came about making a Liver Shunt Diet For Tessa. It contains all of the information I used, how I went about it and links to help you create a diet for your dog.

• 
  5
  Dogs & Dog Breeds

  Oral Care for Dogs With Liver Shunts

  10 years ago

  Dental disease in dogs, as in humans, can cause harm in the liver, heart and kidneys. For dogs with a liver shunt, finding the right solution can be a daunting task.

• 
  20
  delishably.com

  Grandma's Halloween Popcorn Ball Recipe

  21 months ago

  My grandma was famous in our neighborhood for her Halloween popcorn balls. Here is her recipe with step-by-step photos.

• 
  7
  pethelpful.com

  When Wild Geese and Dogs Meet

  18 months ago

  While going out to photograph a flock of Canadian geese that just came into the area, my pugs caused quite a ruckus with a gaggle of geese. Then I remembered tales told of geese drowning dogs.

• 
  126
  Homemade Dog Food

  Homemade Diet for Dogs With Liver Shunt

  5 years ago

  When Contessa Della Notte, aka Tess, was 10 months old, she was diagnosed with a liver shunt. The diet of Tess has little to no protein but has all of the vitamins, minerals, and grains she needs to live.